queue jumpers

[eeksll]

Does this annoy anyone else?

Those riders who feel they are that much better(by better i dont necessarily mean better riders) than everyone else they deserve to be at the front of the queue. On my commutes I ride a flat bar with panniers, by no means fast. I see 3 types of these people

1) the ones that take off faster and ride fast and are pretty much not seen again, the ones that dont get in my way. I dont have any problem with these riders except for the assumption that they are faster than me, which they are ...

2) the fat woman on a electric bicycle who feels she deserves to be at the front of the queue, rolls right up and parks herself right next to the first rider in the queue even though there are 4-5 other commuters waiting in a line. She then takes off before lights turn green so she is ahead of everyone else. yet I always catch up to her and have to ride slowly behind her cause I cant pass her safely. Then she does it at the next set of lights ....

3) the woman on an oldish bicycle with 2 panniers, she will ride up past the line and plonk herself as close to the cross traffic as possible which is basically 3 ish meters in front of where the queue starts. She then rides at an easy poddling place (like around 15km/h)

sigh, rant over, I needed to get that off my chest, I see #2 often and #3 rarely

note: 2) and 3) are specific individuals not a generalised group.

[Max]

Yes, people like 2 and 3 annoy the crap outta me. I reckon there needs to be a rule, perhaps one of those unspoken rules, that tells cyclists where to line up. Like at mass events - there's the elite riders at the front, the fast riders behind them, the average riders behind the fast riders, and the plodders behind everyone else.

The ones that really annoy me, though, are the plonkers who get in front of the queue, then are slow to take off when the light turns green, and then can't figure out how to clip in. They wobble all over the frigging intersection, looking at their feet instead of the road, and the rest of us (not to mention motorists) have to wait behind them while they faff about. Me, I like to take off fast. And if I can't clip in, I put as much of my unclipped foot onto the pedal as I can, and crank with the other foot. What's the point of having cleats if you can't use them to pedal up as well as down? At least then you can get some momentum and get the hell out of peoples' way.

Rant over!

Max

[Dr_Tony]

On my commute runs there are generally few bicycles around that i have to contend with. I fall in the fairly slow camp of old MTB with slicks and panniers. My main issue is cars. It usually seems that there more things like spoilers, sports badging and fancy exotic (read European) cars, the slower they are, at either taking off in front of me, so i almost hit their bumper, or if they are turning and i have to wait for them, they take FOREVER
I also have this problem if I am driving the car (25 year old Corona with slow action manual gearbox) If you are deemed slow by me, either in car or on bike -then you are WAY TOO SLOW!
Cheers
Tony

[Strawburger]

I thought this was cycling etiquette. It looks to have been lost with the increase in the not so regular riders out there commuting. On my route, generally those who queue jump are those who don't intend to wait at the intersection for more than 5 seconds (if you get my drift).

[familyguy]

1) the ones that take off faster and ride fast and are pretty much not seen again, the ones that dont get in my way. I dont have any problem with these riders except for the assumption that they are faster than me, which they are ...

I'd add to this a sub-group #1-A: those who roll/filter to the front, then proceed to flagrantly ride across a red light in front of everyone, especially if its to get a vacant piece of road for two seconds. I can deal with anyone else, but these plonkers are just idiots.

2) the fat woman on a electric bicycle who feels she deserves to be at the front of the queue...

3) the woman on an oldish bicycle with 2 panniers...

Yes, I can even deal with these types by remembering "commuting ain't racing". I also believe these are the people who would filter in a car if there was half a lane free

This is why I enjoy the fact that my commute contains hills. You dont get many 2's and 3's.

Jim

[simonn]

Ah yes, "shoaling" as The Snob terms it...

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/05 ... le_12.html
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/10 ... cycle.html
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2010/08 ... -case.html
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2010/08 ... gness.html

Oh, ok then...

http://www.google.com.au/search?sourcei ... m+shoaling

[CommuRider]

At King St (corner Sussex) it is the pedestrians who decide to jump the queue in front of us waiting cyclists at the lights. Peeps we are on wheels, we will go faster than your legs.

[roadrash]

Shoaling seems bit rude to me, regardless of whether you are on a roadie or something else (speaking as a pretentious poseur who does commute on a roadie).

[rkelsen]

Meh. I don't get mad. I get even.

[sogood]

There are queue jumpers at ticketing booths, McDonalds' counters, traffic jams, bus stops and the list goes on. So this is no different. We are but different grouping of the same cohort of human beans.

BTW, as much as us cyclists are legally permitted to filter past stationary traffic lanes, our massing in front of motor cars at traffic lights are often perceived by many motorists to be queue jumping. And there are also many times when the light turns green, we hold up the traffic behind. Just food for thought.

[jet-ski]

+1 about the clipless pedals.... so so many new roadies on my route who don't know how to use their clips...

but I have to say, I'm happy that there aren't many shoalers around at the moment, I know that they will increase in number as cyclist numbers increase though!

[roadrash]

There are queue jumpers at ticketing booths, McDonalds' counters, traffic jams, bus stops and the list goes on...

I prefer BSNYC's analogy (thanks for posting the links simonn, I had missed/forgotten some of those):

Shoaling is like sidling up to someone at a urinal, unzipping your fly, and "joining in"....

[cp123]

what are people like me then?

Know my limits and (lack of) serious speed so when we're waiting I offer the fast men behind me the opportunity to fang off in front of me. When the lights change, I'll push off slowly, pull slightly left and click in, and then let the speedies take off. Most of them say a thanks or similar. I'm not so keen on the ones that won't even give me eye contact though and just expect it. Then I go. And if any dribblers try to push it too, then i'll sit on their butt. Or let them go and then pass them again.

[Zynster]

I ride a big heavy commuter with racks and fenders, yet I do like to ride pretty fast. A dedicated roady will drop me, but everyone else is slower. That said I'd never jump to the front of the queue. I'll wait and pass when safe. Most of the queue jumpers I see are fixie riders who not only jump the queue, they run the red as well.

[DavidS]

I always try and get into a position which goes with my speed. The fast roadies in front of me, the slow plonkers behind me. If the slow ones try and filter through I'll try and block them or out accelerate them at the lights. It's just a fact of life that we ride at different speeds and I really cannot understand the slow cyclists who filter to the front at the lights, why do they do this? Must ask one of them one day.

DS

[roadrash]

what are people like me then?

Damnit cp123, it is people like you who turn a simple, useful analogy into a very confused and possibly risqué one, complete with urinal.

It is just possible that you are <gasp> “nice”.

[cp123]

me? nice?



definitely not....


I just don't want to unnecessarily hinder anyone. But yes, i get annoyed by people who push to the front if they're going to ride off at 12 kmph too.

[Oxford]

I ride a fixie so I must be one of those ones that run red lights.

I only get frustrated occasionally as usually there are few riders where/when I commute, I usually find its the gearies running the red lights, simply because I come across so few (virtually none actually) fixie riders. The most frustrating the ones who push through and then cannot clip in, the very reason why I use MTB pedals as they are easy to clip into. and have enough of a platform to pedal without being clipped in.

Max, can I guess that Kedron Brook/Newmarket Road intersection is one of the sources of frustration?

[roadrash]

me? nice?

Ok, quite right, I overstepped & I take it back. You are not nice.

[Zynster]

Oxford: I see fixie riders all the time. Maybe because I live in West End. I have several friends that ride fixies, and nearly all them run reds, and are totally unapologetic about it.

[cp123]

[Max]

Max, can I guess that Kedron Brook/Newmarket Road intersection is one of the sources of frustration?

On a commute, yes. It's actually the only light-controlled intersection where I see other cyclists on my commute route.

Max

[Sir Stinkalot]

The ones that really annoy me, though, are the plonkers who get in front of the queue, then are slow to take off when the light turns green, and then can't figure out how to clip in. They wobble all over the frigging intersection, looking at their feet instead of the road, and the rest of us (not to mention motorists) have to wait behind them while they faff about.
Max

That is so funny. I have this thing with my wife that I constantly comment on things that I would change when I become Mayor. Generally they are just small things that would make my life easier. For example before I got the bike I would catch the tram. One of my Mayor changes would be to give trams the right of way at lights all the time so there was no delay and I could get home quicker ….. now I don’t catch the tram I couldn’t give a stuff and I have dropped that issue from my platform!

On the weekend I was saying that when I become Mayor within a 3km radius of the city (that is how far the Mayor rides!) clip peddles would be banned due to the following reasons:

1. slow to take off when the light turns green;
2. they then can't figure out how to clip in;
3. they wobble all over the frigging intersection;
4. then you need to overtake them as you thought because they had clip in peddles that would be quicker than the flat bar commuter.

Do you want any position in Council Max??

[trailgumby]

Assuming there is a reason you have chosen your handle that is grounded in experience or reputation, I think all you would have to do is let rip with a good one, wave your hand in front of your face and say "whew, sorry boys and girls! " ... and you'd clear the intersection.

Problem solved.

[brendeng]

I have a question, cycling etiquette related.
I commonly train alone, couple of times a week with a mate or two, and on occasion I come across other cyclists on my rides. Being a country area I probably don't come across as many fellow riders as city riders do, I i quickly noticed when I started riding that most other cyclists give ya a wave when they are going the other way or say G'Day when going the same way. But what is the deal with the occasional rider who doesn't give ya wave, nor utter a word when ya going the same way ?? I see unwritten rules mentioned earlier ... Is the wave or G'Day one of these unwritten rules that some people don't pay attention too ??
The other that I found strange, when I was starting out riding, not all that long ago in the scheme of things, lots of other people I ran into on the road made suggestions and gave advice. Place to ride, things to try, improvements I could make in my set up ... etc etc, All very helpful, well meaning (I Hope) good natured. Not so long back on an afternoon ride, came across a fellow, few years younger than myself, clearly all new gear, bike, shoes, clothes etc .... struggling like hell pedaling 53x15,14,13 or there about at about 50 cadence up a small rise. As I toodled up along side him, spinning 39x15 at about 90 cadence, I said G'day, how's it going, the usual .... then made the polite suggestion that he might like to give the little chainring a go. This was a suggestion I had also been given by an older, more learned rider when I was a new rider trying to pedal a way to big gear myself ... to which the guy promptly replied F*** OFF. Is making a polite observation a taboo ??

What are people thoughts on these points ?? Should I just shut up in the future ??